1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink-jet recording apparatus configured to print images.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 7,399,075 B2 discloses an ink-jet printer having two ink passages consisting of a supply passage for supplying an ink from an auxiliary reservoir to a printing head, and a return passage for returning the ink from the printing head to the auxiliary reservoir when the printing head is subjected to a purging operation wherein the ink supplied from the auxiliary reservoir to the printing head is returned to the auxiliary reservoir.
In the ink jet printer disclosed in the above-identified publication, however, the auxiliary reservoir is not divided into two ink chambers by a filter, giving rise to a risk of plugging of nozzles of the printing head with foreign matters contained in the supply and return passages through which the ink is circulated. In view of this drawback, it is considered possible to provide the ink-jet printer of the publication with a filter that divides the auxiliary reservoir into the two ink chambers, as disclosed in JP-2003-266745 A. In the ink-jet printer disclosed in this publication, however, only the second ink chamber of the auxiliary reservoir is open to the atmosphere, but the first ink chamber is not open to the atmosphere, so that the filter is likely to be clogged with air bubbles contained in the first ink chamber. Accordingly, the pressure within the return passage for returning the ink from the printing head to the auxiliary reservoir tends to be raised during the purging operation of the printing head, causing destruction of the meniscus of the ink at the nozzles of the printing head, with a result of unintended ejection of the ink droplets from the printing head during the purging operation.